Sénégal : Bassirou Diomaye Faye Launches ‘KIIRAAY’, New Party, As Sénégal Enters New Phase of Politics

The President of Sénégal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has officially launched his new political party, « KIIRAAY – Les Patriotes Républicains », on Saturday, July 25, in Dakar, marking a new step in the reconfiguration of Senegal’s political landscape after his split from the PASTEF, led by his now-ex-mentor Ousmane Sonko.

Shown during the constitutive general assembly held at an hotel on the square, the new party adopts the motto « La Patrie d’abord », asserting a focus centered on defending national interests, strengthening republican institutions and consolidating the state of law.

In Wolof, « Kiiraay » means « what protects », a choice that the initiators present as the symbol of a political formation intended to accompany the president’s governance project and unite forces favorable to his vision of transforming Sénégal.

Following the assembly, delegates voted unanimously for Bassirou Diomaye Faye to be the party’s head. This decision marks a change in his political stance, after leaving the leadership positions of Pastef at the beginning of his presidential term.

A resolution read by Aminata Touré, general supervisor of the former coalition Diomaye President, states that the creation of KIIRAAY results from the merger of 437 parties, movements and associations united around a common project aiming to support the reforms undertaken by the head of state and the ambitions of the country’s development.

Beyond its political scope, the birth of this new formation is closely observed by international partners, investors and development actors. In a context where Sénégal continues to implement its Vision Sénégal 2050 strategy, stability in institutions and governance clarity remain key factors to reinforce market confidence, attract investments and consolidate international partnerships.

The launch of KIIRAAY opens up a new sequence of Senegal’s political life, likely to redefine the balances within the president’s majority as well as opposition, ahead of upcoming elections, while influencing the framework in which future economic and institutional reforms will be inscribed.